U.S. patent application number 11/777336 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-15 for manufacture of large parts on small machines.
Invention is credited to Kevin Scott Smith.
Application Number | 20090018689 11/777336 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40253820 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090018689 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Smith; Kevin Scott |
January 15, 2009 |
MANUFACTURE OF LARGE PARTS ON SMALL MACHINES
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for machining a part
from a workpiece. The workpiece is divided into a plurality of
sectors and a plurality of fiducials are disposed within each
sector. The separation distance between each fiducial is then
calibrated to a workpiece distance unit. The present invention then
includes the steps of a) positioning the workpiece into the desired
position relative to a cutting machine; b) calibrating the cutting
machine to the workpiece distance units of one sector; c) cutting
one sector with the calibrated cutting machine; d) repeating steps
a-c until the part is completed.
Inventors: |
Smith; Kevin Scott;
(Huntersville, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HAMMER & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
3125 SPRINGBANK LANE, SUITE G
CHARLOTTE
NC
28226
US
|
Family ID: |
40253820 |
Appl. No.: |
11/777336 |
Filed: |
July 13, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
700/114 ;
409/132 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 409/303808
20150115; Y10T 408/08 20150115; Y10T 409/300896 20150115; Y10T
409/303752 20150115; Y10T 409/308288 20150115; B23Q 17/2233
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
700/114 ;
409/132 |
International
Class: |
G06F 19/00 20060101
G06F019/00 |
Claims
1. A method for machining a part from a workpiece comprising the
steps of: a. providing said workpiece; said workpiece being divided
into a plurality of sectors; said sectors having a plurality of
fiducials; said fiducials having a separation distance between each
said fiducial being calibrated to a workpiece distance unit; b.
positioning said workpiece into a desired position relative to a
cutting machine; c. calibrating said cutting machine to said
workpiece distance units of one said sector; d. cutting said one
sector utilizing said calibrated cutting machine; and e. repeating
steps b-d as needed.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said workpiece having three
dimensions; said first dimension being equal to or longer than said
second dimension and said third dimension.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said cutting machine having
dimensions large enough to allow said second dimension and said
third dimension to pass beneath or through said cutting
machine.
4. The workpiece of claim 1 wherein said plurality of fiducials
being selected from the group comprising inherent fiducials,
intrinsic fiducials, fabricated fiducials, permanent fiducials,
removable fiducials, or combinations thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said cutting machine being
selected from the group comprising: a portal-type mill, a gantry
type mill, a horizontal spindle mill, a vertical spindle mill, a
universal mill, a box mill, a C-frame mill, a knee mill, a bed
mill, a floor mill, or combinations thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said workpiece being made of a
material selected from the group comprising: steel, carbon steel,
aluminum, bronze, iron, copper, nickel, tin, titanium, manganese,
magnesium, beryllium, and combinations thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said workpiece and said cutting
machine being subject to thermal variations, environmental
variations, structural variations, placement variations,
orientation variations, machine construction variations, and
combinations thereof.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising periodically
recalibrating said cutting machine to said workpiece distance
units.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: c.
clamping said workpiece into a desired position after positioning
said workpiece relative to said cutting machine; said cutting
machine having a clamping device for positioning said workpiece
into said desired position; d. calibrating said cutting machine to
said workpiece distance units of one said sector; e. cutting said
one sector utilizing said calibrated cutting machine; f. unclamping
said workpiece; and g. repeating steps b-f as needed.
10. An apparatus for machining a part comprising: a workpiece; said
workpiece being divided into a plurality of sectors; said sectors
having a plurality of fiducials; said fiducials having a separation
distance between each said fiducial being calibrated to a workpiece
distance unit; a. means for calibrating said apparatus to said
workpiece distance units of each said sector; b. means for cutting
said sectors of said workpiece.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for clamping
said workpiece into a desired position.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said workpiece having three
dimensions; said first dimension being equal to or longer than said
second dimension and/or said third dimension.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said plurality of fiducials
being selected from the group comprising inherent fiducials,
intrinsic fiducials, fabricated fiducials, permanent fiducials,
removable fiducials, or combinations thereof.
14. A workpiece for machining comprising: a stock piece; a
plurality of sectors disposed on said stock piece; and a plurality
of fiducials disposed in each said sector.
15. The workpiece of claim 14 wherein said stock piece being made
of a material selected from the group comprising: steel, carbon
steel, aluminum, bronze, iron, copper, nickel, tin, titanium,
manganese, magnesium, beryllium, and combinations thereof.
16. The workpiece of claim 14 wherein said stock piece having a
shape selected from the group comprising a cube, a cuboid, a
cylinder, a prism, a tetrahedron, a pyramid, a sphere, or
combinations thereof.
17. The workpiece of claim 14 wherein said plurality of fiducials
being selected from the group comprising inherent fiducials,
intrinsic fiducials, fabricated fiducials, permanent fiducials,
removable fiducials, or combinations thereof.
18. The workpiece of claim 14, wherein said workpiece and said
cutting machine being subject to thermal variations, environmental
variations, structural variations, placement variations,
orientation variations, machine construction variations, and
combinations thereof.
19. The workpiece of claim 14 further comprising: a means of
conveying all fiducial information of said workpiece.
20. The workpiece of claim 19 wherein said means of conveying being
selected from the group comprising: a barcode, a disk, a CD, a DVD,
a zip drive, a flash drive, an internet site, an intranet site, an
email, a software program, or combinations thereof.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the manufacture of large
parts on small machines through the use of fiducial calibration
methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A milling machine is a power-driven machine used for the
shaping of parts. In its simplest form, a milling machine consists
of a rotating cutter and a workspace. A workpiece is placed on
and/or secured to the workspace and the rotating cutter is guided
to remove unwanted material from the workpiece to shape the desired
part. To accomplish this, either the rotating cutter is moved while
the table is stationary, the table is moved while the rotating
cutter is stationary, or both the rotating cutter and the table
move to allow the rotating cutter to remove material.
[0003] Early milling machines were operated manually which allowed
production of parts with limited complexity. Computers then spurred
the development of computer numerical control (CNC) machines. CNC
milling machines allow for the production of extremely complex
parts. The more advanced CNC milling-machines add one or more
additional axes in addition to the three standard axes (XYZ). The C
axis allows the workpiece to be rotated. The B-axis controls the
tilt of the tool itself. When all of these axes are used in
conjunction with each other, extremely complicated geometries, even
organic geometries, such as a human head, can be made with relative
ease with these machines.
[0004] Milling machines are used to manufacture parts like aircraft
and ship components. Large milling machines may be massive enough
to require their own building. These massive milling machines are
very expensive as are the parts produced by them. Due to the high
costs involved, little competition exists for the owners of these
mammoth machines.
[0005] One drawback for large milling machines is that the further
the cutting tool gets away from the center of the workpiece, the
less accurate the cutting becomes. This decrease in accuracy may be
described and visualized as a "bow-tie" template. A variety of
factors contribute to the inaccuracies realized as a cutting tool
moves further from the center of the workpiece. These factors
include environmental variations (e.g., thermal variations), and
structural variations in both the workpiece and the milling
machine. These variations result in expansion and/or contraction of
the workpiece and the milling machine.
[0006] A fiducial calibration system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,782,596 and 7,065,851 which are herein incorporated by reference.
The use of fiducials has improved accuracy in the production of
parts. However, this has accomplished nothing in reducing the size
of gargantuan milling machines required to mill them. In the
industry today, a milling machine must be as large as the largest
dimension of the part it is manufacturing. For example, if a part's
dimensions are 10.times.3.times.1 meters, it will require a milling
machine that can traverse the entire 10 meters. It would be a great
benefit to the industry if a milling machine was required to
accommodate only the second largest dimension of a three
dimensional workpiece or part. Using the example from above, a
milling machine would only be required to accommodate the 3 meter
dimension instead of the 10 meter dimension. However, size is not
the only relevant factor. A milling machine which may accommodate a
part whose dimensions are 1.0.times.0.1.times.0.05 meters would be
required to accommodate the 0.1 meter dimension instead of the 1.0
meter dimension. That translates to a machine that may sit on a
tabletop instead of a larger machine that must sit on the
floor.
[0007] The benefits would include cost savings for the manufacturer
from constructing smaller milling machines, cost savings to the
consumer from constructing smaller milling machines and increased
competition between part manufacturers.
[0008] Hence, there exists an unsatisfied need for a more accurate
and less expensive method for the manufacture of large parts on
small machines through the use of fiducial calibration methods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention provides a method for machining a part
from a workpiece. The workpiece is divided into a plurality of
sectors and a plurality of fiducials are disposed within each
sector. The separation distance between each fiducial is then
calibrated to a workpiece distance unit. The present invention then
includes the steps of a) positioning the workpiece into the desired
position relative to a cutting machine; b) calibrating the cutting
machine to the workpiece distance units of one sector; c) cutting
one sector with the calibrated cutting machine; d) repeating steps
a-c until the part is completed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a stock
piece/workpiece going from a manufacturer to a completed part.
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a stock piece/workpiece
detailing a plurality of sectors containing a plurality of
fiducials.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate
like elements, a flow diagram is shown in FIG. 1 of an embodiment
of a stock piece/workpiece 10 as it goes from a manufacturer or
dealer to a completed part 60. To create a stock piece, a
manufacturer may begin with a slab, billet, bloom, plate, bar, rod,
or some other form of stock piece/workpiece 10. The manufacturer
may then form that stock piece/workpiece 10 to a desired size,
shape, or combination thereof. The manufacturer may then place the
stock piece/workpiece 10 into an environmentally controlled room or
building and allow the stock piece/workpiece to become acclimated
to that environment (i.e., temperature, pressure, humidity). The
stock piece may then be divided into a plurality of sectors 20. The
manufacturer may then secure a plurality of fiducials 30 at
predetermined or random points within each sector 20. FIG. 1a
illustrates one embodiment of the stock piece/workpiece 10 as it
may be offered by a manufacturer. The manufacturer records the
fiducial locations and measurements between the fiducials and
transfers those figures to a means for conveying fiducial
information 100. FIG. 1a illustrates a means for conveying fiducial
information 100 which in this embodiment is a DVD.
[0013] FIG. 1b illustrates one embodiment where a machinist has
placed the stock piece/workpiece 10 into a cutting machine 50 and
secured the stock piece/workpiece 10 to a table 56 using a clamping
device 52. The machinist may then transfer the information from the
means for conveying fiducial information 100 to the cutting machine
50 and calibrate the cutting machine in order to accurately produce
a completed part 60 (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,782,596 and 7,065,851).
The cutting machine 50 will use its cutting tool 54 to begin
removing material from the stock piece/workpiece 10 based on the
fiducial information obtained from the means for conveying fiducial
information 100. The cutting machine 50 may remove material from
only one sector 20 at a time. When all desired material is removed
from a sector 20, the stock piece is unclamped from the table 56,
advanced beneath the cutting machine 50, and re-secured to the
table 56 using the clamping device 52 to allow cutting of a new
sector 20. The cutting machine 50 and the stock piece/workpiece 10
may be re-calibrated numerous times before, during, and after
cutting begins. FIG. 1c illustrates one embodiment where the
cutting machine 50 has removed material from several sectors 20,
thereby revealing some of the completed part 60, and is continuing
to advance one sector 20 at a time down the stock piece 10. FIG. 1d
illustrates one embodiment where the cutting machine 50 has removed
all of the desired material from the stock piece/workpiece 10
resulting in the completed part 60.
[0014] A part 60, as used herein, means any part which is machined
from a stock piece/workpiece by any method described herein. Parts
may range in size from microscopic to monolithic. The part may be
machined from any material including, but not limited to, metal,
plastic, wood, or combinations thereof. Suitable metals include,
but are not limited to, steel, carbon steel, aluminum, bronze,
iron, copper, nickel, tin, titanium, manganese, magnesium,
beryllium, and combinations thereof. Suitable plastics include, but
are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene,
polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, poly vinyl chloride, and
combinations thereof. If polyethylene or polypropylene is used, it
is preferably a high density or an ultra high density polymer. In
one embodiment, the part may be a whole part machined from a single
piece of material. In another embodiment, the part may be one piece
of a plurality of pieces which may be assembled into a part. In yet
another embodiment, the part may be machined which is a nano-scale
part. In yet another embodiment, the part may be machined which is
a mega-scaled part.
[0015] The machining of parts, as used herein, generally refers to
the process of removing material from a workpiece in order to
create a part. Traditionally, machining involved the use of power
driven machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, or drills,
to machine metal. In the present invention, the machining of parts
includes material made from metal, wood, plastics, or combinations
thereof. The machining may be accomplished by cutting excess
material in the form of chips from the part, by shearing the
material, by squeezing metallic parts to the desired shape, by
applying electricity, by focusing ultrasound waves, by focusing
electrons, or corrosive chemicals to the material, or combinations
thereof.
[0016] A workpiece 10, as used herein, means any workpiece from
which one or more parts or pieces of parts are derived from. FIGS.
1 and 2 each illustrate a different embodiment of a workpiece 10.
The workpiece 10 may be divided into a plurality of sectors 20. The
sectors 20 may then be marked individually or in combination with a
plurality of fiducials 30. The separation distance 40 between each
fiducial 30 or combination of fiducials may then be measured. The
separation distance 40 may then be converted into workpiece
distance units.
[0017] The workpiece 10 generally has three dimensions. The
dimensions may all be equal to one another or the dimensions may
vary. In one embodiment, a first dimension is equal to or longer
than either the second dimension and the third dimension (e.g., 3
meters by 1 meter by 0.5 meters).
[0018] The workpiece 10 may be selected from any material
including, but not limited to, metal, plastic, wood, or
combinations thereof. Suitable metals include, but are not limited
to, steel, carbon steel, aluminum, bronze, iron, copper, nickel,
tin, titanium, manganese, magnesium, beryllium, and combinations
thereof. Suitable plastics include, but are not limited to,
polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, polyethylene
terephthalate, polycarbonate, poly vinyl chloride, and combinations
thereof. If polyethylene or polypropylene is used, it is preferably
a high density or an ultra high density polymer. The workpiece 10
may have a shape including, but not limited to, a cube, a cuboid, a
cylinder, a prism, a tetrahedron, a pyramid, a sphere, or
combinations thereof.
[0019] Sector 20, as used herein, refers to a known area on the
surface or within the workpiece. FIGS. 1 and 2 each illustrate a
different embodiment of a sector 20. The workpiece 10 may be
divided in to one or more sectors 20. FIG. 2 illustrates one
embodiment wherein the workpiece 10 is divided into a plurality of
sectors 20. In another embodiment, the workpiece 10 may be
comprised of a single sector 20. The sectors 20 may include, but
are not limited to, a rectangle, a square, a circle, a semicircle,
a triangle, a oblong, a oval, a tetrahedral, a trapezoid, a
diamond, a cube, a cuboid, a cylinder, a prism, a tetrahedron, a
pyramid, a sphere, or combinations thereof.
[0020] Fiducial 30, as used herein, refers to a mark in a known
position within a sector 20 of a workpiece 10. FIGS. 1 and 2 each
illustrate a different embodiment of a fiducial 30. A fiducial 30
may be selected from the group comprising inherent fiducials,
intrinsic fiducials, fabricated fiducials, permanent fiducials,
removable fiducials, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a
fiducial 30 may be a geometric shape adhered to the surface of a
workpiece 10. In another embodiment, a fiducial 30 may be a laser
mark etched into the surface of a workpiece 10. In yet another
embodiment, a fiducial 30 may be a radioactive compound placed on
the surface of or within a workpiece 10.
[0021] Separation distance 40, as used herein, refers to the
measured distance between adjacent fiducials 30 at a known
temperature. FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the separation
distance 40. The separation distance 40 between fiducials 30 will
increase as the temperature of the workpiece 10 increases. The
separation distance 40 between fiducials 30 will decrease as the
temperature of the workpiece 10 decreases. After the separation
distances 40 are measured between fiducials 30 at a known
temperature, those separation distances 40 may be converted into
workpiece distance units.
[0022] Workpiece distance unit, as used herein, refers to a
standard of measurement to quantify the separation distance between
the fiducials 30 on a workpiece 10. The workpiece distance units
may be related to standard spatial dimensions at a given
temperature (e.g., 500 workpiece distance units may be equal to 5
centimeters). The workpiece distance units thermally expand and
contract with the workpiece 10. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the separation distance 40 between two fiducials 30 may
be 1000 workpiece distance units which may be equal to 10
centimeters. As the temperature of the workpiece 10 increases, the
separation distance 40 may increase to 10.3 centimeters, but remain
1000 workpiece distance units apart. In the same embodiment, as the
temperature decreases, the separation distance 40 may decrease to
9.8 centimeters, but remain 1000 workpiece distance units
apart.
[0023] Positioning, as used herein, refers to the act of placing
the workpiece 10 into a desired position relative to a cutting
machine 50. In one embodiment, the workpiece 10 may be positioned
beneath the cutting machine 50. In another embodiment, the
workpiece 10 may be positioned beside the cutting machine 50. In
yet another embodiment, the cutting machine 50 may be positioned
beneath the workpiece 10.
[0024] Desired position, as used herein, refers to any position
which allows the cutting machine 50 to remove material from a
workpiece 10 in a predictable, desired manner. In one embodiment,
the desired position may permit the cutting machine 50 to remove
material from the entire workpiece 10 at once. In another
embodiment, the desired position may permit the cutting machine 52
to remove material from part of one sector 20 of the workpiece 10.
In yet another embodiment, the desired position may permit the
cutting machine 50 to remove material from one sector 20 of the
workpiece 10. In still another embodiment, the desired position may
permit the cutting machine 50 to remove material from two or more
sectors 20 of the workpiece 10. In still another embodiment, a
workpiece 10 may be held in the desired position with only the
weight of the workpiece 10. In still another embodiment, a
workpiece 10 may be held in the desired position with or without
the aid of a clamping device 52.
[0025] Cutting machine 50, as used herein, refers to any machine
which is capable of removing material from a workpiece 10 in order
to manufacture a part 60 or a piece of a part. FIG. 1 illustrates
one embodiment of a cutting machine 50. Cutting machines 50 may
range in size from very small (e.g., sits on a desktop) to
monolithic (e.g., requires housing in a large building). A cutting
machine 50 may include, but is not limited to, a portal-type
machine, a gantry type machine, a horizontal spindle machine, a
vertical spindle machine, a box mill, a C-frame mill, a knee mill,
a bed mill, a floor mill, or combinations thereof. In one
embodiment, the cutting machine 50 is large enough to permit the
smaller second and third dimensions of a workpiece 10 to pass
beneath or through and be cut by the cutting machine 50. In another
embodiment, the cutting machine 50 rotates a circular tool with
numerous cutting edges arranged symmetrically about its axis. In
another embodiment, the cutting machine 50 is a CNC machine, a
manually controlled machine, or combinations thereof. In another
embodiment, the cutting machine 50 may remove materials from only
one sector 20 of the workpiece 10 at a time. In yet another
embodiment, the cutting machine 50 may remove material from two or
more sectors 20 of a workpiece 10 at a time.
[0026] Clamping device 52, as used herein, refers to any device
which is capable of clamping a workpiece 10 and holding the
workpiece 10 in a desired position. The clamping device 52 then
releases the workpiece 10. FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a
clamping device 52. Examples of clamping devices 52 include, but
are not limited to, spring clamps, screw clamps, band clamps, bar
clamps, bench clamps, Cardellini clamp, C-clamp, magnetic clamps,
miter clamps, pipe clamps, set screw clamps, speed clamps, toggle
clamps, handscrew clamps, or combinations thereof. In one
embodiment, the clamping device 52 may clamp a workpiece 10 to
another surface, such as a table 56 or platform. In another
embodiment, the clamping device 52 may clamp a workpiece 10 to the
sides of the cutting machine 50.
[0027] Calibrate, as used herein, refers to the process of
standardizing by determining the deviation from a standard so as to
ascertain the proper correction factors. Calibration may include
the process of adjusting the output or indication on a measurement
instrument to agree with value of the applied standard, within a
specified accuracy. In one embodiment of the present invention, a
cutting machine 50 may be calibrated to the workpiece distance
units via the fiducials 30. In another embodiment, a cutting
machine 50 may be calibrated to correct for variations including,
but not limited to, thermal variations, environmental variations,
structural variations, placement variations, orientation
variations, machine construction variations, and combinations
thereof. In another embodiment, the cutting machine 50 may be
calibrated before the workpiece 10 is machined. In another
embodiment, the cutting machine 50 may be calibrated one or more
times while the workpiece 10 is being machined. In yet another
embodiment, the cutting machine 50 may be calibrated after the
workpiece 10 or part 60 is machined.
[0028] Cutting, as used herein, refers to the physical act of a
substance or tool removing material from a workpiece 10 in order to
manufacture a part 60. Cutting may result in flat surfaces,
grooves, shoulders, inclined surfaces, dovetails, T-slots, concave
forms, convex grooves, rounded corners, or combinations thereof.
Cutting may be achieved by methods including, but not limited to,
electron-beam machining, electrical discharge machining,
electrochemical machining, ion-beam machining, laser machining,
plasma arc machining, ultrasonic machining, chemical machining,
photochemical machining, water-jet machining, or combinations
thereof. In one embodiment, cutting may occur as the workpiece 10
is fed against a rotating cutting tool 54. In another embodiment,
cutting may occur as the rotating cutting tool 54 is pressed into
the workpiece 10. In yet another embodiment, cutting may occur as a
beam of high-velocity electrons is focused on the workpiece 10.
[0029] Cutting tools 54, as used herein, refers to tools which may
be used to remove material from a workpiece 10 in order to
manufacture a part 60. FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a
cutting tool 54. Cutting tools 54 of many shapes and sizes are
available for a wide variety of milling operations. Cutting tools
54 may include, but are not limited to, slot drills, end mills,
ball nose cutters, shell mills, side and face cutters, hobbing
cutters, face mills, involute gear cutters, woodruff cutters, or
combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a cutting tool 54 may be a
single point cutting tool. In another embodiment, a cutting tool 54
may be a multiple point cutting tool. Additional cutting tools 54
include, but are not limited to, electron beams, electrical
discharges, electrochemicals, ion beams, lasers, plasma arcs,
ultrasonic waves, chemicals, photochemicals, water jets.
[0030] In order to remove material from a workpiece 10, a cutting
tool 54 must be harder than the workpiece 10 and must maintain a
cutting edge at the temperature produced by the friction of the
cutting action. Cutting tools 54 may be made from materials
including, but not limited to, carbon steel, high-speed steel,
cobalt alloys, chromium alloys, tungsten alloys, tungsten carbide,
ceramic oxides, diamonds, or combinations thereof. In one
embodiment, the cutting tool 54 may be carbide tipped. In another
embodiment, the cutting tool 54 may be made from bonded aluminum
oxide. In yet another embodiment, the cutting tool 54 may be
diamond tipped.
[0031] Thermal variations, as used herein, refers to variations in
temperature. Thermal variations may be caused by a variety of
factors including, but not limited to, internal heat, external
heat, friction, or combinations thereof. Environmental variations,
as used herein, refers to variations in temperature, humidity, and
atmospheric pressure. Structural variations, as used herein refers
to variations resulting from the expansion and contraction of
materials which may be in response to environmental variations.
Placement variations, as used herein, refers to variations in the
positioning of the workpiece 10 relative to the cutting machine 50.
In one embodiment, a placement variation may result from a
workpiece 10 not being positioned within a cutting machine 50
squarely in reference to the machine's X and Y axes. Orientation
variations, as used herein, refers to variations in the orientation
of the workpiece 10 to the cutting machine 50 and vice versa. In
one embodiment, an orientation variation may result from a cutting
machine 50 being positioned on a workpiece 10 at an angle. Machine
construction variations, as used herein, refers to variations in
how a machine is constructed in comparison to its specifications.
In one embodiment, the machine construction variation may result in
the various axes of a cutting machine 50 not being square to one
another. In another embodiment, the machine construction variation
may result in the X and Y axes not being perpendicular to one
another. In another embodiment, the machine construction variation
may result in the Y and Z axes not being perpendicular to one
another.
[0032] Both the workpiece 10 or part 60 and the cutting machine 50
are subject to thermal variations, environmental variations,
structural variations, placement variations, orientation
variations, and combinations thereof. These variations may alter
the real position of the cutting tool 54 or probe with respect to
the workpiece 10 during the manufacturing, inspection, or assembly
process, resulting in real part errors, measurement errors during
inspection, or assembly alignment errors. In one embodiment, the
variations outlined above may be corrected through calibration. In
another embodiment, the variations outlined above may be corrected
through mathematical computation (e.g., scientific computation,
numerical methods, stochastic methods).
[0033] Apparatus for machining a part, as used herein, refers to an
apparatus wherein a workpiece may be placed, machined, and removed
resulting in a completed part. In one embodiment, the apparatus for
machining a part may include a cutting machine and cutting tools
for cutting a workpiece. In another embodiment, the apparatus for
machining a part may include a cutting machine, a clamping device,
and cutting tools for cutting a workpiece. In still another
embodiment, the apparatus for machining a part may include a
cutting machine and cutting tools for cutting a workpiece. The
apparatus may be subject to thermal variations, environmental
variations, structural variations, placement variations,
orientation variations, machine construction variations, and
combinations thereof. The apparatus may be calibrated to a standard
defined by a workpiece distance unit. The apparatus for machining a
part may be comprised of any of the cutting machines described
above.
[0034] Stock piece, as used herein, refers to a piece of material
from which a part 60 may be made. A stock piece may include the
workpiece described above wherein said workpiece 10 is divided into
a plurality of sectors 20 and a plurality of fiducials 30 are
contained within each sector 20. The separation distance 40 between
two or more fiducials 30 is measured at a known temperature,
humidity level, and atmospheric pressure and those distances are
converted into workpiece distance units. All fiducial information
is then recorded on or within some tangible medium 100. The
tangible medium may be the means of conveying fiducial information
from one entity to another.
[0035] Means of conveying fiducial information 100, as used herein,
refers to any means by which fiducial information may be conveyed
from one entity to another. Means of conveying fiducial information
100 may be selected from the group comprising: a barcode, a disk, a
CD, a DVD, a zip drive, a flash drive, an internet site, an
intranet site, an email, a software program, or combinations
thereof.
[0036] The present invention may be embodied in other forms without
departing from the spirit and the essential attributes thereof,
and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims,
rather than to the forgoing specification, as indicated in the
scope of the invention.
* * * * *